Certificate in Organizational Leadership and Ethics

Together with the University of Pittsburgh Human Resource Department, we partnered to deliver the Certificate in Organization Leadership and Ethics (COLE), a series of eight workshops that are designed for supervisors and administrators who want to maximize their ability to have impact as ethical leaders within their unit/department or overall workplace. This workshop series combines knowledge, interactive discussion, and skill-building exercises to help participants learn the essentials of ethical leadership that include:

Mentoring and Leading Others

The Ethical Use of Power

Solving Problems and Ethical Dilemmas

Principles and Practices of Servant Leadership

Leadership and Effective Talent Development

Building Social Capital by Managing Relationships, Conflict, and Incivility In The Workplace

The Changing American Workplace: Rights, Responsibilities, and Challenges

Silence (Not Golden): Dissent and Consensus In The Workplace

Participants learn competencies that include skills for building and maintaining a responsible workplace, responsible use of power and authority, enhancing productive work team performance, and developing talent through the use of tools such as mentoring. COLE workshops can be taken in any sequence over a five-year period. Faculty and staff can take one or more of these workshops based on interest. To receive a certificate, individuals must complete six of the eight workshops over a maximum five-year period. This series is designed for faculty and staff who are supervisors or administrators, or those who have made the transition from technical or administrative positions into managerial career paths whereby effectively managing people is part of competency development and overall effectiveness.

Since the COLE program began in spring 2011, more than 1,800 faculty and staff have participated, with more than 200 receiving the Certificate of Completion. Participants include executive administrators, program directors, research administrators, student services administrators, and development officers. Participants come from a variety of University schools and departments, including Health Sciences, Institutional Advancement, Business, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Athletics, and Computing Services and Systems Development.

After employees receive the Certificate of Completion, additional networking and informal learning opportunities with prominent speakers are available, such as through the December Thought Leader Series and June Graduation Ceremony.